From the Grocerant Guru® Stage, Why 2025 Was the Tipping Point: Convenience Stores Became True Meal Destinations

 

When I stood on stage at the Convenience Store News Exchange in Denver last May, I told this audience something that felt provocative to some and obvious to others: the future of food is not about channels — it is about occasions. Grubhub’s 2025 Delivered Report now validates that assertion with hard data and real consumer behavior.

Let me be clear: 2025 was not simply a good year for c-store foodservice. It was the year convenience stores crossed the psychological threshold from “emergency food” to intentional meal destination. That shift did not happen by accident. It happened because the industry leaned directly into what I have defined for years as the Grocerant niche — fresh food, prepared on demand or ready-to-eat, optimized for speed, value, and relevance.

Protein, Heat, and Handhelds Win the Occasion

Grubhub’s data shows that consumers moved decisively away from passive snack items and toward hot, protein-forward, grab-and-go foods — taquitos, chicken rollers, and hot dogs leading the charge. That mirrors exactly what I highlighted in Denver: consumers are no longer “snacking up,” they are mealing down — replacing traditional QSR visits with faster, closer, more controllable solutions.

In 2024, bananas and sodas still ranked among top c-store delivery items. By 2025, the consumer sent a clear signal: bring me heat, bring me protein, bring me immediacy. Convenience, as Grubhub accurately stated, “got strategic.” What that really means is that c-stores stopped imitating restaurants and instead outperformed them on friction, speed, and price-value perception.

At CSN Exchange, I cited the rise of handheld protein platforms as the most scalable foodservice opportunity in the channel — rollers, wraps, breakfast sandwiches, tacos, and global street-food formats that travel well, eat cleanly, and satisfy quickly. Grubhub’s order data confirms that thesis at scale.

Made-to-Order Is No Longer Optional

The statistic that should stop every operator in their tracks: 85% of consumers have tried made-to-order food from a convenience store. That is not trial; that is adoption.

Retailers that understood this earlier — Casey’s, 7-Eleven, Weigel’s — did not treat foodservice as an add-on. They treated it as infrastructure. I referenced this exact evolution in Denver when discussing commissary-enabled consistency, noting that Weigel’s investment in a centralized commissary was not a cost center but a growth engine. Casey’s continued strength in prepared food and dispensed beverages further proves that when execution improves, velocity follows.

7-Eleven’s commitment to a food-forward design in its 1,300 new U.S. stores underscores what I said on stage: the box must now be designed around food, not fuel. Fuel brings traffic. Food builds loyalty.

Foodmaxxing: Function Meets Flavor Meets Shareability

Grubhub’s concept of “foodmaxxing” aligns directly with what I described in Denver as functional indulgence — food that satisfies hunger, supports wellness goals, and looks good enough to share socially.

The surge in gut-healthy bean salads, a 135% increase in grocery bean orders, and the proliferation of protein-labeled items in unexpected categories all point to a consumer who is no longer choosing between health and convenience. They expect both. Protein cookies, popcorn, cinnamon rolls — these are not fads; they are signals of permission. Consumers are telling retailers: solve more needs in one stop.

Beverage behavior reinforces this shift. Cold foam growth of 75%, matcha up 34%, and tens of thousands of electrolyte drinks delivered monthly all speak to liquid functionality — beverages as tools, not treats. This is exactly why I told the Denver audience that beverage programs must evolve from fountain-centric to purpose-driven platforms.

2026 Insight: Fresh Food Fast Is the Only Path Forward

Looking ahead to 2026, the path is clear. The winners will not be the stores with the biggest menus, but the ones with the clearest food identity.

Three forward-looking realities every operator should internalize:

1.       Fresh Food Fast Will Define Competitive Advantage
Speed alone is no longer enough. Freshness must be visible, credible, and consistent. Consumers now equate freshness with trust — and trust with repeat visits.

2.       Protein Will Remain the Anchor, Not the Accent
Whether animal-based or plant-forward, protein is the currency of modern meals. The most successful c-stores will build modular platforms that allow protein to flex across dayparts and cuisines.

3.       Delivery Data Will Shape Store Design
Platforms like Grubhub are not just distribution channels; they are insight engines. The data clearly shows which items travel, which satisfy, and which convert. Smart operators will design menus — and kitchens — backward from that reality.

The takeaway is simple but profound: convenience stores did not steal share from restaurants by becoming better restaurants. They won by becoming better grocerants — places where fresh food, prepared food, and immediate consumption converge.

2025 was the proof year.
2026 will be the execution year.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter